Horseshoe Heroes
FanSided

Being the Last Hire of the Offseason is not a Bad Thing for Colts

By Andrew Ites

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 13: Head coach Frank Reich of the Indianapolis Colts addresses the media during his introductory press conference at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 13, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 13: Head coach Frank Reich of the Indianapolis Colts addresses the media during his introductory press conference at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 13, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Colts were the last team to jump off of the NFL coaching carousel this offseason, but history says that is a good thing.

Chris Ballard thought he was going to land the hottest coaching candidate in his first head coaching search as an NFL general manager, but Josh McDaniels decided to stay in New England in one of the most shocking stories of the past few years.

The Colts were left out in the cold and forced to move to plan B, but they ended up securing a very solid coach in Frank Reich and the fanbase is excited to see him get to work.

Being the last team to hire a head coach has worked well for NFL teams in four of the past five seasons.

Kyle Shanahan was the final coach hired last offseason, but it looks like he has the 49ers heading in the right direction after they acquired Jimmy Garoppolo.

More from Horseshoe Heroes

Philadelphia was the last team looking for a head coach in 2016, and they were widely criticized for hiring Doug Pederson. However, with the help of his offensive coordinator Frank Reich, he’s led the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory in just his second season.

Dan Quinn was the final head coaching hire of the 2015 offseason. He was just minutes away from getting a Super Bowl ring of his own with the Falcons in his second year as a head coach, and he led Atlanta to another playoff victory this season.

Mike Pettine is the exception in this group, but he led the Browns to their most successful season since 2007 during his first year as a head coach.

Bruce Arians was the last head coach hired in 2013, but he led the Cardinals to some of the best years in franchise history before he retired this offseason.

Colts fans may have lost a year off of their lifespan with all the twists and turns of their most recent coaching search, but the last five years suggest that patience is key in finding the right head coach.

Next: How Have Colts Head Coaches Fared in their First Season?

Home/Colts News